Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-09-22
lIsgavan Chimney.

dent don't think Katie an I would b
man an wife this day for you see m,
father was set again the match, Kati'
being only laborer's daughter, Will,
he himself was foreman in the mills
getting good wages, and thought :
good deal of by his employers. An j
it wasn't for Katie l don't think I'd b
here now to tell you about it, for twas
she that saved my life, through hitting
upon plan that never once came into
the heads of me or of my comrades
aye, or. of those that you'd have thought
would know better than any of us.
was not brought up to my fathers
trade, having been taken. when young,
by a brother of my mothers master
bricklayer living in the town. When
my uncle died came to Lisgaryan fol-
a bit, just to see my father. and finding
that they were al work on the new
buildings at the mills, I looked fol
employment there, an got it at once.
Lisgarvan mill is -four mill, and &
pretty place it was in those days, with
the river running just by the old red
brick buildings, an the big water,
wheel always going round an round.
The river falls into II larger one little
down, an the tide comes up as far as
the mill, so tbs in boats that most OF
the corn is brought in, an the flour
carried away. 'Tisn't half so pretty a
place now; there are big whitcwashe /
buildings alongside of the old brick
ones, the big wheel is stopped, an you
hear the whirr of the engine instead of
the sound of the water. But they make
a power of money there, an gives Il
deal of employment.
As | was saying, | got taken on as a
bricklaver Kate's father was work
ing there. too. an l used to see her
bringing him his dinner, and, after 4
bit, | began to think that I'll like to
have her bringing me NINE, too. She
was as pretty girl then rs you'd see
anywhcrc--Shc's good-looking to this
day--an' | soon became that fond of
her that I'd done anything Almost, to
get her. She herself was willing
enough; twas my father that made the
d iliculty. He was proud nun, as
proud in his way as any gentleman. an
he was rght down mad at the notion
of my marrying laborcr's daughter
lobe sure, Twas earning good wages,
might have married without asking
any ones leave if Id been so minded,
but didn't like to 90 aga n the old
man that had always been good to me-.
Besides Katie was just as proud as
himself, an would have nothing to say
to me unless he was satisfied. | got
the master to speak to him. but sure
'twasn'ta bit of use. How would
you like, SIR says ho to the master,
''if | had daughter. to have Master
hip take up with her, an wouldn't
that be the same thing?" | believe
the master did not think it would be
all the same thing; but my father
would not hear reason from him any
more than from me; so Katie an | had
just nothing for it but to wait in the
hope Of his coming round, an very
little hope we had of that same.
As we were putting up a steam en-
g'mc in the mill, we had, of course. to
s"v" big chimney, an we got mru
Down from town to build lt-one of
.iD.'n chars that builds chmneys an
no'h.n' else, an thinks noboly knows
any thing about it but themselves.
was work mg aloIg with him, AMI in
deed, twas that bu 1t the most of it,
an right good job it was. Twas
finished by Christmas--ten years ago
thi, Christmas coming on-all but the
lightning conductor, and that was not
put up, OWING to the masters wanting
to make inquiries when he'd 90 to Lon
don an see for Ii m5clf what would be
Tia" best kind to use. The master was
sc cntilic sort ola gentleman, an had
ideas of his own sometimes they'd be
better than other peoples, sometimes
not so good. At any rate, there was a
delay about the conductor. an in the
meantime the engineers were at work,
an the big chimney was smoking away
like blazes. Mr. Brown the strange
workman. had gone away, saying very
cond 'sccnding like that he was sure
Jim Fordc Chat was me- would BE- able
to faStcn the rod to the chimney as vel
rs he could do it himself He took all
h >caifoldiug with him. but before he
went away he fixed b ,am with a pull
ley to it to the top of the chimney, an
left Il long rope hanging through it. so
that man could be hoisted up at any
time; an there the rope hung dangling.
week after week. until the master come
home, bringing the rod along will
him
OI@e it had come there was no zoo,
losing any more time in fixing it up, 81
one Saturday afternoon in January, W
went on plank, slung securely a
the end Of rope, my tools along W.T.
me, an settled myself astride on tn
stone coping. Twas rather late in tn
day, but the morning had been too VIC
and stormy to work, an the smaste
was us impat ent to get the job done a
if it hadn't been himself that was hind
or ng it all this time. | was as much 9
home atop of the chimney as / was o
the ground. an | worked on withol
one looking down, until my job VIZ
finished an was putting up my tool
Thea. all of a sudden, l heard a rattlin
noise; an looking over, | see the plan
going down fast. called out, HULL
there! send that up again, will you ?
but the only answer got was Il lou
laugh, for all the world Ike silly Jerl
the natural S; and sure enough, there
was. stand ng by the windlass, jumpir
and clapping his hands. | locke
about for the man whose business
was to manage the windlass, but not
sign of him was there, an in n mimi
heard the rattle OF the pulley agai
and saw that the rome was runnir